How Jewish Influencers Are Combatting Antisemitism Online

Multiple A-list actors, TV showrunners, and Hollywood producers are criticizing their Tinseltown colleagues for their hesitance to condemn the Hamas attacks on Israel last month and the antisemitism that has risen around the world in the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre. A-list entertainers like Jerry Seinfeld, Julianna Margulies, along with Hollywood producers, showrunners and even the former president of NBC News Noah Oppenheimer voiced their concern in recent weeks that many in the entertainment industry have stayed "silent" on this issue.

Andrew Wallenstein President and Chief Media Analyst Jewish streaming service ChaiFlicks has greenlit its first original series, a half-hour unscripted showcase for kosher-food cuisine around the U.S. Premiering Nov. 16, “Schmoozing and Cruising” touches down everywhere from Brooklyn to Los Angeles for a mouthful of BBQ, pizza and donuts across six tasty episodes.

The London East Asia Film festival came to a close on Sunday night with the UK premiere of Concrete Utopia, Korea’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars. After the event’s Best Film award went to Iron Mask, by Kim Sung Hwan, artistic director Hyejung Jeon presented its Rising Star award to Concrete Utopia’s Pak Bo-young. Actress Park returned after the film for a Q&A with director, Um Tae-hwa, to discuss the film’s themes of survival, which suddenly seemed shockingly relevant after recent events in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza.

Mayim Bialik is sharing her thoughts on the Israeli-Hamas war.

K.J. Yossman Israel’s TV writers are fighting back against disinformation with comedy.

L.A. lawyer E. Randol Schoenberg is best known internationally for his work recovering art stolen by the Nazi during the Holocaust, with his most famous case being that of ‘Maria Altmann versus Austria’ in 2004, involving five Gustav Klimt paintings.

Kirk Douglas.Between them, a group of Jews whose families had lived in constant fear of persecution gave America, and the world, the golden age of cinema. Classics from “The Wizard of Oz” and “Singin’ in the Rain” to “Ben Hur” and “Gone with the Wind” exist because of them.So why, after the most heinous mass murders of Jews since the Holocaust, is Hollywood incapable of recognizing its own history — and why does it have such a Jew problem?In the days since the Hamas attacks in Israel, the powerful and the rich have truly exposed themselves.Maha Dakhil, co-head of motion pictures at CAA and agent to Tom Cruise, Madonna, Reese Witherspoon, Olivia Wilde, and American Israeli Natalie Portman, this week accused Israel of “genocide.”She re-posted, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide,” before adding her own caption: “That’s the line for me.” John Cusack, that one-time 80s heartthrob, wrote on X: “I was out at the Palestinian march in Chicago.

Madonna took a moment to address the current Israel-Hamas conflict while on stage at The O2, expressing her exasperation at how human beings are capable of “being so cruel to one another”.The artist urged the crowd to “remember we are human beings here” because “we cannot lose our humanity” and to make a difference by bringing “light into the world”.Madonna had addressed the conflict briefly in the early shows of her four-night run of ‘Celebration’ shows at the London arena, saying on the opening night that “watching what’s happening in Israel and Palestine” breaks her heart. On the third show on October 16, however, she expanded on her comments.“Nobody wants to see what’s happening,” she said.

EXCLUSIVE: The Writers Guild of America still hasn’t said anything publicly about the savage attack on Israel by terrorists on October 7, but a number of irate showrunners and others will be discussing that silence today.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor In a real-time reminder of the dangers of covering international conflict, CNN anchor Sara Sidner was reporting live from the West Bank city of Ramallah when a man accosted her on-air to voice criticism of the network’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas War. “You are genocide supporters. You are not welcome here, genocide supporters,” said a man who came up to Sidner while she was in the middle of reporting on air.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Note: The conversation that follows took place in September, two weeks before Hamas’ attack on Israel. On Wednesday, veteran music executive Lyor Cohen was honored at the City of Hope’s annual Spirit of Life gala, which raised $4.3 million to improve health equity in cancer care. He made the following remarks as part of his speech: “We came here tonight to eradicate cancer, but wouldn’t it be incredible if we could also eradicate hate. “What happened on October 7th will never be forgotten, the brutality and slaughter of innocent women, children and men only because they were Jewish. It was an act of terrorism and barbarism. That is not open for debate. Many are being held captive. I want them returned to their families. “I am sorry to hijack this special event to express my feelings as a human, just like I do when injustices happen to anyone targeted because of their race, religion or sexual identity. My heart also goes out to the Palestinian people and the region that has to endure unnecessary loss of life. I pray for peace. Will you join me?” Now in his fourth decade in the music industry, Lyor Cohen is one of the top executives of the era, working as an artist manager, label chief and, since 2016, head of music for YouTube.

All four of the major broadcast TV networks are changing up their schedules tonight (October 19) and we have everything you need to know.

William Earl “It’s great to see everyone here. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances is the truth,” Matti Leshem began, introducing a panel on the state of Antisemitism during Variety’s Hollywood & Antisemitism Summit, presented by The Margaret & Daniel Loeb Foundation and Shine A Light. Leshem, a producer and founder of New Mandate Films, began the conversation by checking in with each panel member and their emotional states following the attack by Hamas on Israel that has killed more than 1,400 civilians.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Julianna Margulies is speaking out against Hollywood for staying silent on antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war. The Emmy-winning actor attended the Variety Hollywood & Antisemitism Summit, presented by The Margaret & Daniel Loeb Foundation and Shine A Light, and said she is continually asking herself why many major Hollywood stars are not speaking out in support of Jewish people. Margulies added that she’s “disheartened” by the silence, and she’s “trying to understand and work around why every single person in our industry isn’t standing up.

Assaf Swissa At the risk of sounding antisemitic, I’m not overly concerned about antisemitism. I don’t sweat the increasing number of neo-Nazis or the rise of rabid antisemitic dialogue across the internet. Rarely do I stress over celebrity slander or anti-Israel rallies at universities. But I am Jewish after all, so I have to worry about something.

Malina Saval Associate Editor, Features Social media influencer Lizzy Savetsky was two weeks into filming Season 14 of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New York” when a tidal wave of antisemitism forced her to quit the show. She fielded death threats and a barrage of online harassment. “I had been having a lot of anxiety about putting my family — including my three young children — at risk and not having control over how my story would be portrayed,” says Savetsky.

Emmanuelle Chriqui I was born in Montreal and raised in Toronto to a traditional French, Jewish and Moroccan family. My parents emigrated from Morocco with my older brother in tow in the mid- to late- 1960s.

Pink is speaking out in response to claims that she was flying an Israeli flag at a recent show on her Trustfall Tour.

Jewish leaders issued a call for 'calm and harmony' as a charity revealed sickening examples of anti-Semitic hatred reported in Greater Manchester amid the continuing conflict and loss of life in the Middle East.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Minutes before “Saturday Night Live” was set to kick off Season 49 inside Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the show’s production team — led, of course, by executive producer Lorne Michaels — received word that two special guests were on their way. According to a source, that was when they learned that Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who were in New York City, wanted to drop by the show.